Exam time can be a very stressful time and with so much riding on its result, it requires a lot of hard work and dedication from a student. Some candidates find themselves in a tight spot when they keep postponing studying till the end. Planning ahead can sort out your study goals and give you ample of time for your hobbies. Whether it’s an entrance exam or a competitive one, following a study plan can keep you a step ahead in stressful times. It’s more insightful than a timetable as it includes your complete syllabus. Here’s why you should certainly stick to a study plan to crack any exam.

Provides A Plan Of Action

Often the syllabus is too huge to catch up so it’s easy for a student to feel lost in a pile of different topics. A study plan gives thorough insight in the curriculum and also sorts ‘what to study’ and ‘when to study’. Also, everyone has their own different study plan. It depends on the individual’s learning abilities, time management skills and personal goals. One feels more organised and in-command when they know why they are studying and what needs to be done in order to achieve those goals.

Brings In Motivation

When you achieve little targets set in your study plan, a sense of motivation to achieve the next one comes in naturally. It can make otherwise boring and stressful subjects a bit more fun by giving new challenges to accomplish every day.

Reduces Stress Extensively

It is very important that you don’t leave things for the last moment as it only leads to more stress and exhaustion. If you follow your study plan judiciously, then you can considerably reduce the scope for stress. The initial efforts of making a plan of action will eventually lead you to have a fuss-free preparation time. Also, preparing for exams becomes much easier and more productive when you adhere to your plan.

Increases Concentration

Studying methodically for regular hours increases concentration, which is the key to cracking any exam. Sticking to a study plan will inculcates a sense of discipline and there will be no need to panic and study during odd hours to finish off everything before exams. This ease of mind can further increase your confidence in how you approach your studies. It will give you a balanced approach towards every subject considering the time-limits.

Putting in an effort to create a study plan and then not following it will take you back to the starting point so, it’s highly crucial to execute it well. To avoid tough situations, keep your study plan simple and easy to pursue. Don’t stress and keep some space for your hobbies in the plan to refresh yourselves. We’re sure you’ll come out with flying colours. All the best!

It’s finally here – the time that most students pine for every single time they attend school has arrived. Summer vacations are inbound, and adolescents are finally free from the shackles of waking up early and attending school. They can finally stop calling themselves “students” and start calling themselves “children” – albeit for a limited time. The amount of free time that children have at this point seems like a boon to them.

However, this can turn into a curse as well.

After all, students are used to following a routine during the weekday. While it might seem somewhat liberating to not be bound by certain responsibilities during this time span, the fact of the matter is that most children will quickly realise that there are very few ways to pass the time. This can lead to a growing sense of boredom that can quickly become quite unbearable.

Therefore, it’s important to keep a child occupied during these vacations. Here are some of the major activities that can help engage kids in these holidays.

Making meals: Learning how to cook a meal is an important life skill that anyone should know, and developing this skill in a child is an excellent course of action to take. Aside from teaching a kid how to cook, parents can also engage him in a task that will keep him occupied, thus alleviating any boredom that could arise as a result.

An outing amidst nature: Before we get into detail, let us state beforehand that the average human spends a whopping 41% of his life looking at a screen! It’s a startling statistic that should serve as a wake-up call to anyone who wants their child to grow up and appreciate life with their own eyes, instead of a screen. Planning a camping trip, going for a hiking expedition, or just allowing them to perform the seemingly mundane task of gardening is an excellent way for them to enjoy.

Develop their creativity: There is a bevy of creative activities that kids can perform to expand their horizons. Everything from normal arts-and-crafts to building blocks can help shape, develop, and amplify a kid’s creative thinking.

Scavenger hunt: This is a great activity that combines a lot of what we’ve already stated earlier. An A-to-Z scavenger hunt will compel a child to explore – something that is sorely missing in the age of technology, where everything can generally be found with a simple Google search. By making this act of discovery physical, children will find an outlet to develop their cognitive skills as well.

It’s true that summer vacation is a time for children to relax. However, it can also be treated as a way for these adolescents to explore different avenues of obtaining information developing valuable life skills that will serve them well in the long run.

As per Pearson Voice of Teacher Survey 2015 (an annual survey done by Pearson, the World’s leading learning company, that aims to voice the opinion of the teaching community in India), teachers seek changes to the traditional ways of teaching to adapt to the changing dynamics in the learning ecosystem:

– 57% teachers believe that students are not adequately prepared for employment.

This clearly depicts that trainers, just like parents and students of today, are seeking progressive changes.

The Challenges In The Path To Holistic Learning

According to a primary research done by Pearson that collated information from Indian schools on the basic challenges they faced in creating a holistic network for learning were as follows:

– Lack of integrated tools inside the classroom which leads to reduction in the overall efficacy of the classroom teaching and learning.

– Absence of an inter-disciplinary approach that helps builds stronger concepts and skills that last for life.

– Learning tends to stop when the school gets over.

– Parents are inquisitive to know what is happening inside the classrooms.

– Assessment is still at a level of ‘Do more. Work hard.’

To tackle these challenges, with MyPedia, teachers are armed with a digital content & complete assessment/activity kit, so they can conduct activities smoothly, and measure the learning outcomes accurately.

The current education styles are mainly guided by the principle that passing a grade ensures complete learning of that level. A deeper introspection of what really fulfils the learning experience of a child is required. It is important to understand the nuances of the learning curve taken by each child. Any system that compels students to belong to a certain dominant lobby can suppress the spirit of innovation.

For students to evolve into skilled professionals of tomorrow, they need to be able to operate in a free atmosphere, exercise choices with a certain level of independence to shape their own lives. The idea is to look beyond the pass-fail binary. We don’t need just engineers, doctors and learners who attain the highest scores in an examination.

To put India truly on the global forefront, we need to nurture innovators, thinkers, philosophers, leaders and writers–to list a few–reflecting the diverse aspirations and dreams of a developing nation. For this, we need to establish newer ways of approaching education and redefine learning. MyPedia aims to implement these reforms, which are essential for smooth transitioning of students to skilled professionals of tomorrow.

The first step to get closer to the vision of holistic learning is to embrace new methods of learning and teaching. It is important to familiarize teachers with newer concepts and different structures of delivering education.

Adopting an interdisciplinary approach will further substantiate classroom education and support holistic development of children as well as teachers. Introducing a framework of continuous assessments, regular and real-time feedback can drastically improve the performance of students and help them identify their interests early in life.

We are constantly learning and unlearning concepts in an environment where information access and knowledge are in abundance. In such a dynamic set-up, it is important that one is well-versed with the basic fundamentals of several disciplines. Across sectors, adaptability, critical reasoning and creativity are among some of the highly valued skills

The most pragmatic approach to develop these qualities in students is to catch them young and foster these skills at an early age in their classrooms. Integrating teaching tools into a scientific process of learning is one of the most effective ways to build strong and everlasting layers of skills and concepts in tender minds.

Famous Nobel-Prize and Oscar-winning Irish playwright, critic and socialist, George Bernard Shaw said:

My schooling not only failed to teach what it professed to be teaching, but prevented me from being educated to an extent which infuriates me when I think of all I might have learned at home by myself.

While Shaw pointed this out in 19th century, the state of affairs for education is so that millions would still relate to his story. Hence most academic experts would agree that going beyond structured curriculum and syllabus is need of the hour. Uncomplicated and personalised learning is the key to producing innovative thinkers of tomorrow.

It is imperative, therefore, that we embrace practices that help children break away from the monotony of rote learning. Integrated studies help children view concepts from the lens of multiple disciplines, understand and see them as they would be in real life and hence apply them adequately. This in-turn captures the interest of students as well as increases their engagement and productivity levels.

This approach also opens up windows of endless possibilities in the thought-process of a child, weaving layers of knowledge with a solid understanding of concepts. It also allows children to paint a realistic yet buoyant picture about the world and all that is there to it, without making the process a herculean task.

MyPedia is one such integrated learning tool, which is consistently working towards realising this goal and aims to transform the education delivery in schools.

In today’s competitive market, everyone is looking for course or a degree to give an edge to their career. Cracking the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is considered prestigious for undergraduate engineers.

GATE has become an important doorway for aspirants who are looking for a Masters in the technical and research field. The minimum eligibility criteria for any candidate to appear for GATE is to have a graduate degree in any subject like BSc, BTech, B.Pharm, BA etc.

Now when you know the importance of GATE, the next question you will ask is, how to crack it? The only way to crack it is to study hard and keep yourself focused.

Here are top 10 exclusive tips which can help you crack this prestigious exam called GATE 2016:

GATE is not a syllabus-based exam. It’s an assessment of your understanding of concepts and its practical application when required. It’s important to understand the concept well and practice the questions accordingly.

GATE questions are tricky to answer, which will require you to work on your speed and accuracy when you are preparing for this competitive exam.

After completing every topic, develop a habit of checking your performance with previous year model test papers. Make notes, and use flashcards for quick revision.

Use innovative and intuitive ways to solve problems. It’s not necessary to solve every question. Try to solve one problem in as many ways as possible. Device your own tips and tricks to reach a correct answer. This will also boost your speed and accuracy.

Understand the importance of positive thinking. Set your goals (e.g; like the institute you want to join, the reference books you want to use, the study schedule you want to follow, etc.) and engrave it at the back of your mind to keep you motivated. Remember that believing in your goals will take you one step closer to it.

Keep working on your doubts and queries, even if it’s your last day of preparation. Doubts will help build your concept and confidence to solve it.

Preparing for GATE is a rigorous process. So keep yourself focused. Develop an aptitude, attitude, concentration level for the next 4-6 months, enough to get into IISC or IITs.

Select course books for your preparation and stick to those. Don’t pick up new reference books at the last minute as it’s bound to cause confusion. Instead, focus on studying the selected books cover to cover. This will help you develop an intuition before solving any question–whether you can answer it or not.

Pearson’s GATE Series, authored by a group of highly-experienced faculty who train GATE students, and are also subject matter experts. Extra care has been taken to present the content in a modular and systematic manner–to facilitate easy understanding of all topics.

For the GATE 2016 aspirant, this series is a one-stop comprehensive solution for your complete GATE preparation:

BONUS TIP: Stay relaxed and calm before the final paper. 🙂 GATE is a tough exam to crack but it is not impossible. With the Pearson Young Achievers Program, you can gain a focused and step-by-step guidance to achieve your goal.

Children are born curious. There is a whole new world to explore and most of their behaviour is adopted from adults, particularly their parents. Whatever be the age of your child, teaching them the benefits of discipline could be rewarding in the long run. Tangible rewards or social reinforcements are the most effective way to incentivise your child for their behaviour.

Rewarding good behaviour promotes learning and also helps parents to focus on their kids right doings. Tangible rewards can lead to a regular habit of greed–getting something in exchange for good behaviour; therefore, the motivation for good behaviour fades as the incentives stops. Instead, rewarding in the form of verbal encouragement and motivation can sustain internal motivation.

Let’s take a look at some tips on how to reward your child effectively for good behaviour:

Model an ultimate rewarding strategy of self-satisfaction and discipline.

Teach your kids how to take responsibility and ownership of their behaviour and get satisfaction from their own good deeds. For example, “My mom enrolled me for a dance class once I started keeping my room clean.” “I feel good about cleaning my room.”

Identify the type of incentives that would keep your child motivated.

A deep sense of emotional attachment motivates children. Rewards such as hugs, a pat on the shoulder, smiles, and positive attention works best for kids in understanding that they have done something worthwhile. Tangible rewards such as toys, money, treats, etc. can be effective too, but should not be given very often.

Positive reinforcement can be effective when started early.

Shower your toddlers with effusive praise, preschoolers with daily rewards, elementary children with documenting rewards charts. This will instill a sense of self-esteem at a young age. The incentives can be a special outing or a small toy for a week-long good behaviour.

Make good behaviour a daily habit.

Teach your kid how to follow a set routine by completing the non-fun stuff first, and then enjoying the fun stuff. This will help them start taking responsibilities. This isn’t a reward, but as parents and teachers, (Pearson School) it’s your responsibility to make good behaviour a habit, a daily routine both at school and at home.

Use consistent rewards to promote good behaviour with gradual decrease of rewards later.

Regular rewards could be fun, but stopping them could be daunting for parents. Positive reinforcement or rewards should be temporary as it helps in teaching a disciplined life. When the desired behaviour is learnt, providing irregular incentives will make good behaviour likely to persist. Ultimately your child’s self-satisfaction and self-approval will be rewarding enough to maintain that expected behaviour.

What should be an appropriate reward to promote good behaviour, in your opinion? Write to us in the comments!